MPs propose granting police exceptional rights – report

A group of Russian lawmakers has drafted a bill broadening police powers and giving them the “presumption of trust.” Among other things, this would allow them to break into cars and homes without warrants and open gunfire at mass gatherings of people.

The news was reported on Thursday by popular business daily
Kommersant, which referred to one of the main sponsors of the
bill, deputy head of the State Duma Committee for Security
Aleksandr Khinshteyn (United Russia). Khinshteyn told reporters
that the bill was prepared a year ago, but its drafting was
delayed because of lengthy consultations with the presidential
administration and the government.

The most important feature of the document is the declaration of
the new approach of the state and society to the police officers
and their work.

“The state guarantees police officers who perform their
professional duties a presumption of trust and support,” the
document reads. According to explanations attached to the draft
its main purpose is to boost the authority of the Interior
Ministry.

Another innovation is the suggestion not to prosecute police
officers for any action committed while on duty if they strictly
follow the internal regulations. According to the authors of the
draft this move would balance the existing norm according to
which when a police officer commits a crime on duty the court
considers this an aggravating condition.

The bill also gives the police more powers in the use of firearms
– currently Russian police are not allowed to open fire on women
or use their guns in places of mass gatherings of people. The
proposed amendments would narrow the banned targets to women
“with visible pregnancy features” and allow opening fire
in crowded places when it is necessary for prevention of a
hostage-taking or a terrorist attack.

If passed, the bill would also allow the police to search people
and their vehicles on simple suspicion of carrying or
transporting illegal items instead of the current norm that
orders the police to present the grounds behind such suspicion.
Law enforcers would also receive the right to break into homes
when pursuing criminals on a hot trail, without a court warrant
on a suspect in the crime.

Russia launched a major police reform in 2010 under Dmitry
Medvedev’s presidency. The changes included renaming of the
police force from ‘militsia’ (militia) used from Soviet times to
‘politsia’ (police), the optimization of functions and structure
of the Interior Ministry and a major reshuffle of its staff that
was cut by almost half: from 19,900 to 10,000 officials.

In February 2011, Medvedev signed the updated Law on Police,
which broadened the powers of law enforcers, but also included
chapters on openness and transparency, and on providing public
trust and support from the citizens. It also ordered a universal
re-assessment of all police staff, which was held between May and
August 2011.